Years ago, the main choice if you wanted to have a fish aquarium was plastic.
It was not until the invention of glass and acrylic aquariums that choosing quality fish tank material became easier for the hobbyist and better for the fish.
Anyone knows that when subject to high levels of warmth, plastic will melt or even burn, yet the old plastic tanks used lighting and some did melt.
Some of these tanks are still around today but they are not recommended.
Plastic will age over time and take on a yellow appearance much like the pages some older photo scrapbooks have.
The two main types of materials used to create fish tanks today are acrylic or glass.
There are both pros and cons with each material and how to choose the one best for you depends on several factors.
The most widely chosen material is acrylic.
Acrylic aquarium tanks are not as heavy as glass and many people make the mistake of assuming that means the acrylic ones are not as strong.
This is incorrect.
Despite being fashioned out of a thinner material, acrylic is a lot tougher than the glass tanks.
They are not as easy to develop a crack or to break as glass ones are.
It is easier to manufacture acrylic tanks in a wider variety of shapes as acrylic will bend or mold easier.
Plus acrylic tanks can maintain a cooler or warmer temperature since the insulation in these tanks is better.
There are professionals who can custom make acrylic tanks to fit your home or place of work.
Like all good products, though, there is always a con to the pro side.
Acrylic tanks cost a lot more than glass aquariums and not simply in terms of a few dollars.
These tanks can end up costing two to three times more than their glass counterparts.
You could expect to pay slightly over a hundred dollars for a ten gallon acrylic tank to over five hundred for a seventy five gallon tank.
These type of tanks also scratch easier than a glass tank Though they are stronger than glass tanks, sometimes the weight of the water in an acrylic tank can cause them to bow out and not keep the support as well as a glass tank would.
Glass tanks are considered to be beautiful and cost a lot less than acrylic tanks.
The glass is very heavy though and when water is added, a large tank can easily weight four hundred to five hundred pounds.
You cannot get glass tanks in a lot of different sizes.
There are only two sizes.
Square or rectangle.
When you are trying to figure out which tank is best for you, if cost is not a problem, it is better to go with an acrylic tank and get the size and shape that you can be satisfied with.
It was not until the invention of glass and acrylic aquariums that choosing quality fish tank material became easier for the hobbyist and better for the fish.
Anyone knows that when subject to high levels of warmth, plastic will melt or even burn, yet the old plastic tanks used lighting and some did melt.
Some of these tanks are still around today but they are not recommended.
Plastic will age over time and take on a yellow appearance much like the pages some older photo scrapbooks have.
The two main types of materials used to create fish tanks today are acrylic or glass.
There are both pros and cons with each material and how to choose the one best for you depends on several factors.
The most widely chosen material is acrylic.
Acrylic aquarium tanks are not as heavy as glass and many people make the mistake of assuming that means the acrylic ones are not as strong.
This is incorrect.
Despite being fashioned out of a thinner material, acrylic is a lot tougher than the glass tanks.
They are not as easy to develop a crack or to break as glass ones are.
It is easier to manufacture acrylic tanks in a wider variety of shapes as acrylic will bend or mold easier.
Plus acrylic tanks can maintain a cooler or warmer temperature since the insulation in these tanks is better.
There are professionals who can custom make acrylic tanks to fit your home or place of work.
Like all good products, though, there is always a con to the pro side.
Acrylic tanks cost a lot more than glass aquariums and not simply in terms of a few dollars.
These tanks can end up costing two to three times more than their glass counterparts.
You could expect to pay slightly over a hundred dollars for a ten gallon acrylic tank to over five hundred for a seventy five gallon tank.
These type of tanks also scratch easier than a glass tank Though they are stronger than glass tanks, sometimes the weight of the water in an acrylic tank can cause them to bow out and not keep the support as well as a glass tank would.
Glass tanks are considered to be beautiful and cost a lot less than acrylic tanks.
The glass is very heavy though and when water is added, a large tank can easily weight four hundred to five hundred pounds.
You cannot get glass tanks in a lot of different sizes.
There are only two sizes.
Square or rectangle.
When you are trying to figure out which tank is best for you, if cost is not a problem, it is better to go with an acrylic tank and get the size and shape that you can be satisfied with.
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